Reception Children Face Compulsory Tests

Four-year-old children will have to sit tests when they start primary school under new Government plans.

The compulsory tests, designed to measure each child's level of development at the start of their formal schooling, will come into force by 2016 under the new proposals.

It comes after a Department for Education (DfE) consultation last year which proposed a "baseline assessment" in primary schools in order to measure how children have progressed by age 11.

The tests are to be carefully crafted to estimate a child's academic abilities in very basic literacy, reasoning and cognition, rather than testing their knowledge as in a traditional exam.

As a result, it is believed the current key stage one tests that take place at the end of year two, when most pupils are aged seven, will be scrapped.

The Government is soon expected to shortly announce the results of the consultation and reveal the new reception class test, which was first reported in The Times newspaper.

A DfE spokesperson said: "We have consulted on our proposed primary school assessment and accountability measures and we are considering our response."

Some educational campaigners fear the tests for the younger age group will place children under undue stress.

Deborah Lawson, general secretary of Voice The Union - a union representing education professionals, told Sky News: "I want to know what is the purpose? Why should we be putting children at a younger and younger age through a testing regime.

"I think also we have to remember that developmentally is this the right thing for young children?"

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Flooding: PM's 'Enormous Sympathy' For Victims

David Cameron has admitted a "long-term" action plan is needed to reduce the devastating impact of flooding on communities.

With heavy rain, large waves and strong winds expected to create a "significant risk to life" in parts of south and west England this weekend, the Prime Minister said he had "enormous sympathy" for people whose homes had been swamped.

He insisted the Government was doing "everything we can to help people recover as quickly as possible".

However, he admitted there was work to do, especially in Somerset, where some residents remain cut off after the wettest January on record.

In a letter to the Western Daily Press, Mr Cameron said: "Like everybody across the country I feel enormous sympathy for the people who live on the Somerset Levels and are suffering from the devastating impact of the flooding."

He added: "We need long-term action to reduce the risk of this happening again. That is why (Environment Secretary) Owen Paterson is working with the Environment Agency (EA) and local agencies in Somerset to deliver a robust plan for the next 20 years.

"Flooding wreaks havoc in communities and businesses. And the impact on people's lives cannot be underestimated.

"I want to reassure people in Somerset that I am making sure everything that can be done is being done - every resource is being made available to keep Somerset moving and make it a prosperous place for those that live and work there."

The Somerset Levels have seen weeks of flooding this winter

The Prime Minister said plans to dredge rivers will begin "as soon it is safe to do so" and the EA will spend "the coming months improving river flows" across the south west, dredging and weed clearance.

Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis has claimed a lack of river dredging for the past 40 years has worsened the impact of the flooding in Somerset.

"The EA decided to abandon the dredging for the sake of the river bank and they sold the wonderful dredging machines for scrap," said the dairy farmer.

"Can you believe it? That was 40 years ago. This (flooding) is the result of that decision."

He said it only used to be that the area flooded every 20 years. "There is flooding every year now; it's a serious disaster, a serious problem. It's impossible to live there and run the whole dairy industry.

"We've been campaigning for years to get this sorted out. Finally, I think the Prime Minister is going to deal with it and get the money to do the job, but it's taken a long time to get there.".

Mr Eavis, who farms at Pilton, on the edge of the Somerset Levels, spoke out after its was announced that Prince Charles will visit flood-stricken communities in the South West.

The visit, on Tuesday, had been planned in advance of the floods for Charles to learn how communities coped with similar problems in 2012.

He is likely to receive a warmer reception than Environment Secretary Owen Paterson who received a hostile reaction from locals when he visited on Monday.

Residents said they were living in "Third World" conditions - with "overflowing" septic tanks and water in their homes.

Emergency workers help people leave the cut-off village of Muchelney

Military personnel are currently on standby to move in to flood-hit Somerset, with further heavy rain and high tides due to hit parts of the UK in the next 48 hours.

An amber severe weather warning has been issued by the Met Office for southwest England, parts of which have been flooded for more than a month.

The public has been warned of significant disruption from flooding across the Somerset Levels.

Pat Flaherty, deputy chief executive of Somerset County Council, said: "With potential for high winds and high tides and more rain... falling on an already soaked catchment we have potential for further flooding over the weekend.

"And with that, ongoing flooding for a number of weeks to come.

"We're still working very closely with the military who remain in Somerset, planning with us and we also have the resilience of knowing that their equipment and personnel are ready to be mobilised should we require them."

The Ministry of Defence has tweeted that personnel involved in helping with Somerset floods are drawn from all three services, with the majority from Taunton-based 40 Commando Royal Marines.

In addition to vehicle crews, up to 100 military personnel are on stand-by for duties likely to include sandbag filling and loading.

The Red Cross has also sent its 7.5-ton Unimog, an emergency supply vehicle capable of driving through deep floodwater.

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Baby Boy's Death: Mother Arrested In Oldham

By Becky Johnson, North of England Correspondent

Police are questioning a mother on suspicion of murdering her seven-week-old baby in Oldham.

The 23-year-old mother's partner, a man aged 35, and the couple's lodger, a 26-year-old man, have also been arrested on suspicion of murder.

The baby was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital with serious head injuries last Saturday.

Hospital staff contacted police and the child's mother and her partner were originally arrested on suspicion of assault.

Following the baby's death and the results of a postmortem examination they were re-arrested on suspicion of murder.

Along with their lodger they are also being questioned on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

All three remain in police custody.

The infant died at Royal Manchester Children's Hospital

Detectives are searching the house where the child lived in the Clarksfield area of Oldham.

Inquiries are ongoing to trace the child's father.

Detective Inspector Andy Cunliffe from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: "This is a tragic case in which a very young baby has lost his life.

"We are determined to find out exactly what the circumstances were that led to him suffering such injuries.

"News of the death of such a little boy will no doubt come as a great shock to people.

"And I would like to try to reassure the community as much as I can that we have a team of detectives dedicated to working on this investigation, and they will today be interviewing the three people in our custody.

"If anyone has any information at all that they believe may assist us with our enquiries, then please get in touch and tell us what you know."

Anyone with information is asked to contact GMP's Major Incident Team on 0161 856 1722 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Cameron and Hollande To Hold EU 'Pub Summit'

By Anushka Asthana, Political Correspondent

David Cameron will try to persuade Francois Hollande to back his plans for EU reform later when he takes the French president for a pub lunch in his Oxfordshire constituency.

The Prime Minister needs support if he wants to secure his promise to roll back EU red tape by renegotiating Britain's relationship with Europe.

He plans to hold a referendum on EU membership in 2017 if the Conservatives win the next general election. He has been under intense pressure from Eurosceptic backbenchers.

But sources close to the French president have said it is "very, very unlikely" he would agree to treaty changes under that timetable.

Mr Hollande knows that he will be under electoral pressure in 2017 as he faces French elections.

Mrs Cameron will not meet Mr Hollande, who split from Valerie Trierweiler

The discussion could overshadow the Anglo-French summit in which the two countries will sign up to deeper cooperation between their defence, civil nuclear and space industries.

Among the agreements will be a £120m feasibility study into a joint programme to build a fleet of unarmed combat drones.

But the discussions are likely to turn to Europe after the formal meetings at Brize Norton end.

Tensions may be high after sources close to the president chose the eve of the summit to attack Britain's hopes to repatriate powers from the EU. They warned UK demands were unreasonable and could be damaging.

British officials played down the rift, insisting it was positive the French were now talking about when reform took place, and not if.

A source said he was expecting an "entente tres cordiale" - with deepening ties in a number of industries.

He said the fact the summit was taking place on the centenary of the first world war would be a reminder of the UK and France's historic ties.

The Prime Minister would use the lunch discussion to argue for a "flexibility and the importance of competitiveness" in Europe.

He insisted that Mr Cameron was "optimistic", saying questions were once around whether there was a need for treaty change.

There was now a growing acceptance that would be required, he added.

"Each country will bring to the table it's own perspectives and we will bring ours."

Other agreements will include the £500m joint purchase of anti-ship missiles.

There will also be discussions about the possibility of a joint expeditionary force, a chance to look at a mock-up of a combat drone and discussions about civil nuclear after a deal in which French giant EDF will build a new power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset.

Mr Cameron will also be meeting Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk later

Mr Cameron wants British SME's to be involved in the industry's supply chain.

Despite holding the summit close to his Oxfordshire home, Mr Cameron has not invited his wife, Samantha.

It was perhaps considered best after Mr Hollande ended a seven-year relationship with Valerie Trierweiler following reports of an affair with actress Julie Gayet.

The former First Lady of France said learning of the affair made her feel like she had "fallen from a skyscraper".

After the lunch, Mr Cameron will return to Brize Norton for a second bilateral with the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who is in Britain as part of a concerted effort to get European leaders to take action to end the crisis in neighbouring Ukraine.

But Mr Tusk could also air anger about comments by the Prime Minister about banning Polish immigrants from claiming child benefit that they send back home.

The comments were part of a drive by Mr Cameron to deliver a tougher message on Eastern European immigration.

But Mr Tusk hit back saying he would block any attempts to overhaul access to benefits for migrants that "stigmatise any particular national minority".

"Nobody has the right to single out Poles as a particular group that abuses or exploits something," he said.

Mr Cameron called his Polish counterpart to insist his call for reforms were meant for all European countries.

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Madeleine McCann Cops Hunt Resort Workers

British police investigating Madeleine McCann's disappearance have asked their Portuguese counterparts to search the homes and bank accounts of three suspects.

A Scotland Yard team led by Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood made the request during meetings about new leads in the case with senior members of Portugal's Policia Judiciaria earlier this week.

Investigators believe the trio were workers at the Ocean Club complex in Praia da Luz, where the McCann family were staying in 2007 and were behind a string of burglaries in the weeks before Madeleine, then three, went missing.

Former Ocean Club worker Nelson Rodrigues, told Sky News Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt that employees at the complex would have had the perfect opportunity to snatch a child.

Nelson Rodrigues speaks to Sky's Martin Brunt

He said: "Yes, you could suspect (them). The workers there know the shifts and the hours when people are at home or not at home.

"It's waiters, barmen, people from maintenance, reception, the cleaners - it's a lot of staff."

In May 2007, when the McCanns were holidaying in the Algarve, there were some 160 people working at the family resort.

There were around 160 workers at the Ocean Club when Madeleine vanished

One expat apartment owner told Sky News that he had property stolen about a month before Madeleine disappeared and that others had been targeted.

He said there was no sign of forced entry at his property and he suspected that the thieves might have had access to a key.

The man spoke to British police 18 months ago - suggesting that their renewed probe has been focused on Ocean Club employees almost since it began.

British Police visited Faro, near Praia da Luz where the McCanns stayed

Paul Luckman, editor of the expat Portugal News, has been following the latest developments in  the case.

He told Sky News: "It's alleged that they could be employees of Ocean Club, which puts a whole new light on it and that they're not, as we've supposed until now, a little group of opportunist burglars going round stealing passports and wallets whenever there was a window open.

"There are suggestions that this is slightly different."

Kate and Gerry McCann have been 'buoyed' by progress in the investigation

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that police were hunting the three men whose phones were "red hot" after Madeleine vanished.

Mobile phone records show that the men made numerous calls to each other in the hours after Kate and Gerry McCann discovered their daughter had disappeared from her room.

Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry are said to be "buoyed" by signs of progress in the effort to find out what happened to their daughter.

But it is unclear whether Portuguese authorities will respond positively to the latest request for help from the British investigation team.

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Sellafield Nuclear Workers Told To Stay Home

Non-essential staff at the Sellafield nuclear site in Cumbria have been asked to stay at home due to elevated radiation levels.

The cause of the higher reading is being investigated.

A statement said: "As a result of a conservative and prudent decision, the Sellafield site is operating normally but with reduced manning levels today.

"This follows the detection of elevated levels of radioactivity at one of the on-site radiation monitors at the north end of the site.

"Essential workers only are being asked to report for work.

"Levels of radioactivity detected are above naturally occurring radiation but well below that which would call for any actions to be taken by the workforce on or off the site."

A 2012 report by the National Audit Office said some facilities at the 68-year-old site had "deteriorated so much that their contents pose significant risks to people and the environment".

Sellafield, the UK's largest and most hazardous nuclear site, stores enough high and intermediate level radioactive waste to fill 27 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

The cost of cleaning up the waste at Sellafield has been put at £67.5bn.

In 1957, the UK's worst nuclear disaster also occurred at the site when one of the nuclear reactors caught fire, releasing radioactive material that spread across the UK and Europe.

More follows...

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McLaren Pair Killed In Crash Near F1 Base

Two McLaren workers have been killed after the sports car they were travelling in crashed near the Formula One team's headquarters.

The members of staff, who have not yet been named, were in a blue Subaru Impreza when it collided with a Ford Transit van on the A320 in Ottershaw near Woking, Surrey.

They were based at the nearby McLaren Production Centre, next to where the company's F1 cars are built, and worked for the firm's sports car division.

Mike Flewitt, chief executive officer of McLaren Automotive, said: "We have been informed that we have sadly lost two hard working and extremely well-liked employees.

"They will be sorely missed by their friends and colleagues and our heartfelt condolences go out to their families."

The crash, which happened between the McLaren and Otter roundabouts, closed the A320 Guildford Road for several hours.

Surrey Police appealed for witnesses to the crash to contact them on 101.

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Rachael Slack Murder 'Could Not Be Predicted'

By Lisa Dowd, Sky News Correspondent

A serious case review has found that the murders of a mother and her young son could not have been "reasonably predicted", even though she told police about threats to kill them days before they were stabbed to death.

Rachael Slack, 38, and her 23-month-old son Auden were found with 48 stab wounds at their home in the picturesque village of Holbrook, Derbyshire, on June 2, 2010.

They were killed by Ms Slack's former partner and Auden's father, 44-year-old Andrew Cairns, who had a history of mental illness, and was angry that she was in a new relationship, and pregnant.

He then took his own life.

Police deemed Ms Slack to be at "high risk" of being murdered - but did not tell her.

Ms Slack's partner at the time said she was frightened - but was not convinced Cairns would hurt her.

"Both Rachael and I were very alert, very wary in the evening," Robert Barlow told Sky News.

"We made sure everything was locked, we had plenty of communication in the day - texts, phone calls, but it still comes down to, if some professional body had told myself or Rachael that she was at high risk of homicide, we would definitely have done things differently."

The report makes no mention of an inquest finding that officers failed Ms Slack and Auden.

Derbyshire Constabulary say they now deal with domestic abuse differently.

"What we've now done is to ensure that every victim assessed by us as high risk, we're absolutely explicit, so they understand exactly where our risk assessment takes us," said ACC Karl Smethem.

"Then we can talk through written down protective measures we might suggest and they might be able to agree to in order to protect them better."

Other recommendations have featured in serious case reviews both locally and nationally for years.

The review found that agencies had focussed on the needs of Cairns, who had depression and possibly a personality disorder, rather than the needs of Auden and Ms Slack.

Christine Cassell, independent chair of the Derbyshire Safeguarding Children Board, said: "A strong priority for DSCB is making sure that agencies understand that they must think about the entire family, that regardless of the person they're working with primarily they must think about the implications for other vulnerable people in the family, whether it's a vulnerable adult or a child or children."

It also found that police and health professionals had been acting in isolation, not recording events properly, and not sharing information.

While agencies say they have already put their learning from this case into action, Ms Slack's family say they will pursue a civil claim.

Domestic violence charity Refuge released a statement responding to the Serious Case Review.

Chief executive Sandra Horley, CBE, said: "I am concerned that the review describes incidents of murder/suicide involving a family with a child as 'incredibly rare'.

"The truth is that domestic homicide is alarmingly common. Every week two women are killed by current or former partners in England and Wales.

"Analysis of serious case reviews has also found that domestic violence was a factor in the lives of 63% children who were seriously harmed or killed between 2009-2011.

"All too often, victims of domestic violence do not get the support and protection they deserve.

"That's why Refuge is calling on the Government to open a public inquiry into the police and state response to victims of domestic violence.

"We need the Government to take a coordinated approach to understand why so many women and children experiencing domestic violence continue to be badly let down."

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Immigration Bill: Govt Braced For Rebellion

By Darren McCaffrey, Political Reporter

The Home Secretary has announced a last-minute change to the Immigration Bill so British terror suspects can be stripped of their citizenship, even if it leaves them stateless.

It comes as the Government faces a significant backbench rebellion later as Conservative MPs call for tougher measures in the new legislation.

Theresa May has tabled an amendment which will allow the removal of a UK passport from any person whose conduct is deemed "seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the UK".

The Home Secretary already has the power to take away British citizenship from those with dual nationality.

But this change would allow her to make people stateless if they have been naturalised as a British citizen.

The Home Office insisted powers to make British citizens stateless will be used sparingly and in strict accordance with the UK's international obligations.

Theresa May tabled an amendment which could face a Conservative rebellion

Immigration Minister Mark Harper said: "Those who threaten this country's security put us all at risk. This Government will take all necessary steps to protect the public.

"Citizenship is a privilege, not a right. These proposals will strengthen the Home Secretary's powers to ensure that very dangerous individuals can be excluded if it is in the public interest to do so."

Up to 70 Conservative backbenchers have signed a tweaked amendment to the legislation, originally tabled by Nigel Mills MP, calling on the Government to reinstate restrictions on migrants from Romania and Bulgaria working in Britain until the end of 2018.

Meanwhile a further 100 MPs have come out in support of a move by Tory MP Dominic Raab to completely block foreign criminals appealing deportation by claiming a right to a "family life" in the UK.

David Cameron is seeking to minimise a rebellion by reassuring backbenchers he shares their concerns, but has appealed for them to allow legislation to proceed uninhibited.

He told MPs yesterday at Prime Minister's Questions: "The Immigration Bill makes all of those important changes and many more besides, including making it possible for us to deport people who don't face arrest back in their own country before they have appealed and they can appeal from overseas.

"These are all very good changes and I hope that we won't delay too much before passing this important Bill."

While the Government has refused repeated calls to publish estimates of the number of Bulgarians and Romanians expected to arrive this year, the Prime Minister said early signs seemed to be acceptable.

Though the Prime Minister rushed through new measures to ensure EU migrants are unable to claim out-of-work benefits for their first three months in the UK, this was not enough to satisfy Mr Mills and his backers.

However, Mr Mills has lost the significant support of influential backbencher Douglas Carswell MP, who despite having signed the amendment announced he would no longer vote for it.

He said: "If we want to restrict the free movement of people into Britain from the European Union, then there is only one thing we can do - leave."

Meanwhile, Mr Raab's amendment would see the Home Secretary - rather than the courts - have the final say on whether an offender's family links are strong enough to allow them to avoid deportation.

Foreign criminals who can prove they face torture, ill-treatment or death in their home country will still be able to overturn deportation orders under separate human rights measures.

Other measures the Government has already announced include migrants having to pay for primary care services such as minor surgery carried out by GPs, while prescription charges will be extended.

The Home Secretary and Work and Pensions Secretary unveiled proposals that would see jobless migrants from within the European Union denied access to housing benefit from April this year.

When asked, Downing Street said the Government was considering all amendments.

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IVF Risks 'May Be Too High For Some Couples'

By Thomas Moore, Health and Science Correspondent

IVF is now being used so widely that the risks could outweigh the benefits for some couples, researchers have warned.

Doctors say the evidence underpinning the use of IVF in younger couples with unexplained infertility is weak.

Because the technique has risks for the mother and child, clinics should be more cautious about using it, they argue.

Professor Siladitya Bhattacharya, of the Evidence Based IVF Group at the University of Aberdeen, told Sky News that couples would be better off giving nature more time rather than rushing into a medical solutions.

He said: "There are situations where IVF is probably being used too soon by some couples who would have conceived on their own.

"In couples where the woman is young, or where the duration of infertility is short, awaiting spontaneous conception by doing nothing for two to three years is a reasonable option."

Susan Seenan said couples do not undertake IVF lightly

IVF was originally developed for women with fallopian tube disorders and severe male infertility.

But in the UK the proportion of IVF cycles for tubal problems fell from 19% in 2000 to 12% in 2011.

Over the same period the number of cycles for unexplained fertility problems more than trebled from 6,202 to 19,552.

Writing in the British Medical Journal, the researchers also warn that IVF has risks, increasing the chances of a premature birth and congenital malformations.

Mums are also at higher risk of pre-eclampsia from multiple pregnancies.

But Susan Seenan, chief executive of the support group Infertility Network UK, who had a son through IVF, said: "It's not something that anyone would undertake lightly.

"The last thing anyone thinks about when they're trying to conceive and deciding to have a family is that they will have to do it through fertility treatment.

"But unfortunately around one in six couples struggle to conceive and some of them will have to go through IVF treatment.

"Couples are not turning more readily to it, I think it is becoming slightly more easily available to some couples and unfortunately with the society we live in today some couples are leaving it a little bit later before they start trying for a family.

"The older you are, particularly with the female, the more difficult it can be to conceive and the more likely you are to have some fertility problems."

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said it regularly reviews the latest research on IVF success rates.

A spokeswoman said: "IVF has enabled thousands of women to have a much-wanted family.

"Fertility clinics in the UK are required by law to provide patients with information about the risks involved before treatment."

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